Childproof actuator cap for aerosol and like dispensing devices

ABSTRACT

This invention provides a childproof actuator cap for small hand-held dispensers of the type wherein a cap body in the form of an inverted shell has a central bore which slidably carries an actuator button connected with the valve stem or plunger of the dispenser. The cap body has in its rear wall a deep, fingerreceivable notch which locates the user&#39;&#39;s finger in the proper position for depressing the actuator button. A guard piece or cover member is carried by the cap body and overlies the actuator button, thereby to normally shield the same and prevent its actuation. The guard piece is hingedly connected to the front wall of the cap, and is further connected separably to the back wall of the cap by a clasp means which normally is so arranged that an infant or small child cannot readily comprehend the movements necessary to undue the clasp. The entire actuator cap presents generally a closed appearance, such that a person who would operate the dispenser requires knownledge or judgement gained from experience, indicating to him beforehand that the guard piece must be shifted to uncover the actuator button. This knowledge is needed, in addition to any dexterity normally required to separate the clasp. For a person who is properly informed, the operation of the dispenser is relatively simple. Such person merely lifts the back end of the guard piece to unclasp it, whereupon the piece can be swung upward to provide access to the actuator button. The informed user then merely holds the dispenser in the usual manner with the index finger under the raised, hinged guard piece and on the button, and thereafter depresses the latter to discharge the contents. While such operation is seemingly simple, it cannot be readily effected by a small child or infant who lacks the knowledge that first the guard piece must be raised to uncover the actuator button, and second that raising of the guard piece requires an unlatching or opening of a clasp by which the guard piece is secured in place.

Sagarin Nov. 6, 1973 CHILDPROOF ACTUATOR CAP FOR AEROSOL AND LIKE DISPENSING DEVICES 2/1956 Ayres ZZZ/402.13 X

Primary ExaminerRobert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-Larry Martin Att0rney-H. Gibner Lehmann et al.

[ 57] ABSTRACT This invention provides a childproof actuator cap for small hand-held dispensers of the type wherein a cap body in the form of an inverted shell has a central bore which slidably carries an actuator button connected with the valve stem or plunger of the dispenser. The cap body has in its rear wall a deep, finger-receivable notch which locates the users finger in the proper position for depressing the actuator button. A guard piece or cover member is carried by the cap body and overlies the actuator button, thereby to normally shield the same and prevent its actuation. The guard piece is hingedly connected to the front wall of the cap, and is further connected separably to the back wall of the cap by a clasp means which normally is so arranged that an infant or small child cannot readily comprehend the movements necessary to undue the clasp. The entire actuator cap presents generally a closed appearance, such that a person who would operate the dispenser requires knownledge or judgement gained from experience, indicating to him beforehand that the guard piece must be shifted to uncover the actuator button. This knowledge is needed, in addition to any dexterity normally required to separate the clasp. For a person who is properly informed, the operation of the dispenser is relatively simple. Such person merely lifts the back end of the guard piece to unclasp it, whereupon the piece can be swung upward to provide access to the actuator button. The informed user then merely holds the dispenser in the usual manner with the index finger under the raised, hinged guard piece and on the button, and thereafter depresses the latter to discharge the contents. While such operation is seemingly simple, it cannot be readily effected by a small child or infant who lacks the knowledge that first the guard piece must be raised to uncover the actuator button, and second that raising of the guard piece requires an unlatching or opening of a clasp by which the guard piece is secured in place.

8 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures CHILDPROOF ACTUATOR CAP FOR AEROSOL AND LIKE DISPENSING BACKGROUND This invention relates to small hand-held dispensers such as those involving pressurized liquids, or liquids devoid of pressure and which can be ejected by a pumping action. More particularly the invention relates to actuator caps for such dispensers, of the type which tend to prevent inadvertent or unauthorized operation by infants or children of tender years. Heretofore a number of different types of childproof actuator caps have been proposed and produced, some for the purpose of merely preventing inadvertent actuation and discharge of the dispenser and other designed with the express intention of preventing unauthorized actuation unless the prospective user possesses specific information as to special manipulative operations required by the actuator cap. Several prior dispensers involved the use of cooperable stop shoulders which could be brought out of registration by a turning movement of the cap body, or of a collar or other piece rotatably mounted at the top of the dispenser. So-called tamperproof actuator caps have also been proposed and produced, involving either tear strips (which require removal prior to operation of the dispenser) or else locking pins or looking pieces of one type or another, all for the purpose of preventing inadvertent actuation and/or indicating unauthorized operation and discharge if and when the cap is actuated. Still other proposals involved relatively turnable cap members which were provided with cooperable indicator means so arranged that it was first necessary for the prospective user to have special knowledge as to the proper operational procedure, in order to enable a discharge to be effected. While these prior actuator caps generally performed their intended functions satisfactorily, they were not completely foolproof or childproof, nor were they especially inexpensive to produce due to the multiplicity of parts involved and the necessary assembly operations in attaching the parts to each other and to the dispenser.

SUMMARY The above disadvantages and drawbacks of prior tamperproof and childproof actuator caps are obviated by the present invention, which has for its principal object the provision of a novel and improved childproof actuator cap for small hand-held dispensers, which has a minimum number of separate pieces and which is particularly inexpensive to produce, not only from the standpoint of fabrication of the components but also as regards the assembly of the same. A related object of the invention is to provide an improved childproof actuator cap as above characterized, which is especially effective in minimizing the likelihood of its being actuated by an infant or a child of tender years even though prior actuation is observed by such young person, as when the dispenser is being used by an informed user. These objects are accomplished by the provision of a novel, molded plastic cap body in the form of an inverted shell provided with rear and front walls, a portion of the rear wall having a finger-receivable notch and also having a clasp device which is cooperable with a clasp part carried by a guard piece that is hingedly secured to the front wall of the body. The entire body and guard piece with the clasp means are molded as single integral unit whereby there is eliminated assembly operations and instead effected an absolute minimum production cost. The cap body has a central bore in which there is slidably carried a usual type of depress button which is normally covered and concealed by the guard piece of the cap body, and which becomes accessible when the guard piece is unclasped and swung upward about the hinge connection at the front of the body. But two components are thus involved in the childproof actuator cap, each being readily molded of plastic substance and being easily and quickly assembled to the dispenser container.

Other features and advantages of the invention will hereinafter be disclosed.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view of the upper portion of a pressurized dispenser incorporating the improved childproof actuator cap of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the actuator cap of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the actuator cap of FIG. 1, with the guard piece in the closed or clasped position.

FIG. 4 is an axial sectional view somewhat like that of FIG. 1, but showing the guardpiece unclasped and swung upward, and illustrating a users index finger placed upon the depress button for the purpose of actuating the same, to effect a discharge.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the actuator button.

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the actuator button.

FIG. 7 is an axial sectional view similar to that of FIG. 1, but showing a childproof actuator cap constituting another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a rear elevational view of the childproof actuator cap of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a modified form.

FIG. 10 is an axial sectional view of the modification of FIG. 9, showing the actuating position.

Referring first to FIGS. 1-6, the dispenser illustrated therein comprises a container 10 which is shown as of the pressurized variety, having a top closure or wall 12 which carries a discharge valve assemblage 14 including an upstanding vertically movable valve stem 16. Carried on the valve stem 16 is an actuator or depress button 18 having a central depending boss 20 provided with a bore 22 frictionally receiving the stem. The depress button 18 has discharge passages 24, 26 leading to a discharge orifice 28, all in the usual manner. The upper surface 21 of the button 18 is sloped, extending downward from front torear so as to comfortably accommodate the index finger of a user at the time that the button is to be depressed for effecting a discharge.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a novel actuator cap body 32 having an internal depending ribbed skirt 34 adapted to engage a shouldered portion 36 of the dispenser top to retain the body captive on the dispenser and in a stationary position. The cap body 32 has an outer depending skirt 38 for engagement with a shoulder portion 40 of the container top, to position and steady it.

In its rearward facing wall'42 the cap body 32 has a deep finger notch 44 adapted to receive and position the index finger of the user, and to orient the same with respect to the actuator button 18. The frontward facing wall 46 of the cap body 32 has a deep notch and clearance slot 48, the latter accommodating the orifice member 28 of the button, and the notch providing clearance for the discharge of the container contents as illustrated in FIG. 4.

In accordance with the present invention the cap body 32 is provided with a guard piece 50 which overlies the actuator or depress button 18 and which is hingedly secured to the front wall 46 by a thin flexible web 52 constituting a hinge means, said web being sufficiently strong and wide to resist breaking or tearing. At its rear portion the guard piece 50 has a depending wall 54 provided with a latch pin 56 which is receivable in a socket 58 provided in the rear wall 42 of the cap body 32. The socket 58 has oppositely-disposed detent portions 60 tending to retain the latch pin 56 in the socket against inadvertent dislodgement therefrom. The plastic substance of the cap body 32 is such that the socket 56 is somewhat yieldable, thereby to enable the latch pin'56 to be forced out of the same past the small detent nibs 60 when sufficient pressure is exerted on the guard piece.

Normally, as illustrated in FIG. 1, with the guard piece 50 overlying the actuator button 18 the latter is not accessible and therefore cannot be depressed to effect a discharge. For an informed user, the operations required to use the dispenser are simple. The user merely applies upward pressure to the latch pin 56 so as to dislodge it from the socket 58, and then swings the guard piece 50 upward to the position illustrated in FIG. 4. Thereupon, the user can hold the dispenser with one hand, placing the index finger in the rear notch 44 of the cap body and across the top surface 21 of the depress button. Downward pressure on the button will now effect a discharge of the contents of the dispenser. When it is desired to again secure the dispenser against tampering or use by young children, the user merely pushes downward the guard piece 50 and forces the latch pin 56 into the socket 58. In addition to the know-how required in order to lift upward the guard piece 50, a certain amount of force and dexterity is needed of the prospective user, in forcing upward the latch pin 56 to dislodge it from the socket 58. Accordingly, it has been found that an actuator cap as above constructed is essentially childproof in that infants or children of tender years cannot readily learn the operations needed to operate the dispenser, nor can such child supply the necessary force at the proper places to unclasp the guard piece 50 and raise it so as to expose the depress button for actuation.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. '7 and 8, wherein the cap body 32a has a guard piece 50a connected to the front wall by a hinge web 52a. At its rear, the guard piece She has a detent nib 6% which is receivable in a recess 66 provided for the purpose in the rear wall 42a of the cap body. Above the detent nib 64 there is a tapered stop projection 68 which is engageable with the top edge of the rear wall 42a of the cap body, to limit the downward movement of the guard piece 50a to the broken line position illustrated in FIG. 7. Operation of this embodiment of the invention is essentially similar to that already described above in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6. The user places his fingernail against the underside or undersurface 70 of the stop member 68, applying a lifting force thereto. This can be sufficient to force the detent nib 64 out of the cooperable detent socket 66 so that the guard piece 50a is free to be swung upward, thereby revealing the depress button l8 and enabling the user to apply the index finger in the manner indicated in FIG. 4 to effect a discharge of the contents of the dispenser.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, wherein the body 32b has a finger notch 44b in its rearwardly facing wall 42b and has a frontwardly facing wall 46b notched to accommodate the button orifice 48b. The cap has a guard piece 50b connected to its top wall 51b by a pair of thin, resilient webs 52b which constitute a hinge means to enable the guard piece to be swung upward as in FIG. 10. A depending tab 54b of the guard piece 5012 has a projection 56b which is receivable in a socket 58b in the rearwardly facing wall 42b. The guard piece 50b has a straight edge 74 providing a clearance space 76 which enables the guard piece to have free upward hinged movement, without interfering with or depressing the button 18. By the provision of the two webs 52b a more steady support of the guard piece 504*: is had, facilitating the reclasping of the guard piece.

It will now be understood from the foregoing that I have provided a novel and improved, especially simple childproof actuator cap for aerosol and like hand-held dispensers, which is particularly simple in its construction and economical to fabricate.

Very few relatively movable parts are involved, these being essentially the stationary cap body and the movable, depressible actuator button, together with the hingedly-mounted guard piece which actually constitutes a part of the molded cap body. The operation of the cap is not readily apparent to young children, nor can it be easily effected even though the child learns what must be done in order to uncover the depress button. There is thus had assurance that the dispenser will not be easily operated by youngsters.

Variations and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1 claim:

1. A childproof actuator cap for hand-held dispensers, comprising in combination:

a. a cap body adapted to be carried at the top of a dispenser container, said body comprising an inverted shell provided with frontward facing and rearward facing walls, the upper portion of the rearward facing wall having a finger receivable notch and the frontward facing wall having a discharge opening therein,

b. an actuator button mounted for movement in the cap body and having means engageable with the discharge plunger of the dispenser to actuate the same,

c. said button having a discharge orifice adapted to direct product through the discharge opening of the frontward facing wall and being accessible for actuation by a finger inserted in said notch,

d. a guard piece carried by the cap body, overlying said actuator button and obstructing said fingerreceivable notch, thereby to normally prevent access to the button,

e. flexible hinge means connecting said guard piece to the frontward facing wall of the cap to enable repeated pivotal movement of the guard piece with respect to the cap without destruction of the hinge means,

f. said flexible hinge means normally locating the guard piece in a position overlying the depress button when the guard piece is free to move, and

g. clasp means separably connecting the guard piece to the rearward facing cap wall whereby the guard piece can be disconnected from said rearward facing wall and swung upward away from the button to enable the latter to be actuated,

h. said flexible hinge means enabling an inserted finger to raise the guard piece away from the depress button without said piece occupying a position interfering with depressing movement of the users finger whereby the button can be actuated by said finger,

. said hinge means biasing the guard piece to its position overlying the depress button when the finger is removed.

2. An actuator cap as in claim 1, wherein:

a. said guard piece and cap body are constituted of molded plastic and are integral with each other, b. said hinge means comprising a thin, flexible web connecting the guard piece to the body.

3. An actuator cap as in claim 1, wherein:

a. said clasp means comprises a projection on the guard,

b. the rear wall of the cap body having a resilient socket with a constricted mouth, adapted to receive and hold said projection.

4. An actuator cap as in claim 3, wherein:

a. said projection extends rearward of the rearwardly facing wall of the cap body and constitutes a finger piece upon which force can be exerted to dislodge the projection from the socket.

5. An actuator cap as in claim 1, wherein:

a. the clasp means comprises a detent nib on the guard piece,

b. said rearwardly facing wall of the cap body having an undercut portion engageable by the detent nib,

c. said guard piece being resilient whereby the nib thereof can be dislodged from the wall undercut portion upon distortion of the guard piece.

6. An actuator cap as in claim 5 and further includa. a finger-engageable projection on the guard piece, disposed above the nib thereof and engageable with the rearwardly facing wall of the cap body to constitute a stop for limiting downward movement of the finger piece.

7. An actuator cap as in claim 6, wherein:

a. the finger-engageable projection has an undershoulder to enable a lifting force to be applied to it by the users fingernail for the purpose of forcing the detent nib away from the rearwardly facing wall undercut so as to raise the finger piece.

8. An actuator cap as in claim 1, wherein:

a. the means hingedly connecting the guard piece comprises a pair of thin, flexible spaced-apart webs connecting the guard piece to the body. 

1. A childproof actuator cap for hand-held dispensers, comprising in combination: a. a cap body adapted to be carried at the top of a dispenser container, said body comprising an inverted shell provided with frontward facing and rearward facing walls, the upper portion of the rearward facing wall having a finger receivable notch and the frontward facing wall having a discharge opening therein, b. an actuator button mounted for movement in the cap body and having means engageable with the discharge plunger of the dispenser to actuate the same, c. said button having a discharge orifice adapted to direct product through the discharge opening of the frontward facing wall and being accessible for actuation by a finger inserted in said notch, d. a guard piece carried by the cap body, overlying said actuator button and obstructing said finger-receivable notch, thereby to normally prevent access to the button, e. flexible hinge means connecting said guard piece to the frontward facing wall of tHe cap to enable repeated pivotal movement of the guard piece with respect to the cap without destruction of the hinge means, f. said flexible hinge means normally locating the guard piece in a position overlying the depress button when the guard piece is free to move, and g. clasp means separably connecting the guard piece to the rearward facing cap wall whereby the guard piece can be disconnected from said rearward facing wall and swung upward away from the button to enable the latter to be actuated, h. said flexible hinge means enabling an inserted finger to raise the guard piece away from the depress button without said piece occupying a position interfering with depressing movement of the user''s finger whereby the button can be actuated by said finger, i. said hinge means biasing the guard piece to its position overlying the depress button when the finger is removed.
 2. An actuator cap as in claim 1, wherein: a. said guard piece and cap body are constituted of molded plastic and are integral with each other, b. said hinge means comprising a thin, flexible web connecting the guard piece to the body.
 3. An actuator cap as in claim 1, wherein: a. said clasp means comprises a projection on the guard, b. the rear wall of the cap body having a resilient socket with a constricted mouth, adapted to receive and hold said projection.
 4. An actuator cap as in claim 3, wherein: a. said projection extends rearward of the rearwardly facing wall of the cap body and constitutes a finger piece upon which force can be exerted to dislodge the projection from the socket.
 5. An actuator cap as in claim 1, wherein: a. the clasp means comprises a detent nib on the guard piece, b. said rearwardly facing wall of the cap body having an undercut portion engageable by the detent nib, c. said guard piece being resilient whereby the nib thereof can be dislodged from the wall undercut portion upon distortion of the guard piece.
 6. An actuator cap as in claim 5 and further including: a. a finger-engageable projection on the guard piece, disposed above the nib thereof and engageable with the rearwardly facing wall of the cap body to constitute a stop for limiting downward movement of the finger piece.
 7. An actuator cap as in claim 6, wherein: a. the finger-engageable projection has an undershoulder to enable a lifting force to be applied to it by the user''s fingernail for the purpose of forcing the detent nib away from the rearwardly facing wall undercut so as to raise the finger piece.
 8. An actuator cap as in claim 1, wherein: a. the means hingedly connecting the guard piece comprises a pair of thin, flexible spaced-apart webs connecting the guard piece to the body. 